Get Your Groceries From These Local DC Markets and Stores

Avoid the lines and shop local.

Lines wrap around the block, flour flies off the shelves before you can even enter the store, and grocery shopping these days is just plain stressful. But you don’t have to deal with the crowds and stress that comes along with shopping at big national chain grocery stores.

You’re at home channeling your inner-chef anyway, so it’s time you take a note from your favorite local chefs and shop at the dozens of small markets in DC. Danny Lee of Anju, CHIKO, and Mandu, said his grocery shopping usually involves a trip to Harris Teeter, but then he stops at smaller stores to grab specialty ingredients like high-quality proteins from Stachowski Market or udon from Hana Market that can doctor up just about any recipe.

We tapped chefs like Lee and Thamee owner and chef Jocelyn Law-Yone (and sprinkled in our own go-tos) to compile this list of the best small markets and specialty stores in DC. You’ll have a perfectly stocked pantry and be supporting some small businesses in no time.

Multiple locationsThis independent grocer operates several locations in DC and is truly one-stop-shop. You can order your groceries ahead of time to pick up in-store, or opt for delivery if you’re in the neighborhood. Plus if you can’t bear to cook another thing -- which, despite what your Instagram feed may have told you, is a familiar feeling -- a few locations like NoMa and West End have cafes where you can pick up deli sandwiches and other premade meals.

Ivy CityThis family-owned store set up shop across four Mid-Atlantic states and in DC, so it has a well-established stock of local, organic produce ready for you. Plus, MOM’s has all of the pantry staples you need to complete your latest baking project without the hassle you’ll feel at some larger grocery stores.

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Dupont CircleMostly supplied by local companies and farmers, Glen’s Garden Market is packed floor to ceiling with everything you need to have on hand in your kitchen. You can place your order ahead of time online for curbside pickup or ask for delivery if you’re in the neighborhood.

Capitol HillWipe that image of a bustling summer day at Eastern Market out of your imagination because that’s not what you’ll find there these days. Outdoor vendors that typically line the surrounding streets are closed, but indoor shops like Bowers’ Fancy Dairy, Canales Quality Meats, and Paik Produce remain open to fulfill your grocery needs.

Mount PleasantEach Peach is an adorable shop that’s more like a curated boutique than a supermarket. Pre-COVID-19, you could spend hours perusing local produce, funky natural wine, and other locally produced goodies. But these days the tiny shop is allowing just three customers in at a time so you’ll have to restrain yourself from taking too long. If you order ahead online before 10am, you can pick up your groceries curbside later that afternoon from 2-6p.m.

U StreetThis snug market may not have everything you need to beef up your fridge and pantry staples, but it has all the Japanese specialty products you need to dress up your tired go-to dinners or add to your much-needed ramen stockpile.

Columbia HeightsThis quirky specialty market works directly with farmers in neighboring states so shelves are always filled with funky new cheeses, fresh in-season produce, and gorgeous bundles of wildflowers that’ll brighten up your home. In addition to standard items, some purveyors that typically stock the store are offering CSA-style boxes where you can get a heaping box of produce for a set price.

GeorgetownIf you visited Georgetown earlier this year to shop and stroll along the once-buzzy M Street, you may not even know there is a top-notch butcher just a few blocks north. Stachowski Market is still open and offering some of the best cuts of meat in the city, plus enormous deli sandwiches that will fuel a few work-from-home lunches.

Penn Quarter and Mosaic DistrictTwo of Red Apron’s popular locations are still open in DC so you can get all the meat you need to fill your fridge and freezer. The butcher also offers delivery on Doordash so you can get staple cuts of meat and prepared items like the famed Red Apron burger delivered right to your door.

Ivy CityThis seafood market is run by the wholesale company ProFish, so you can get restaurant-quality seafood like scallops, lobster, and smoked salmon at some of the most competitive prices possible. The Market at Ivy City Smokehouse is still open for in-person shopping, and ProFish recently expanded so you can order online and get your order shipped to many areas around the DMV -- and the company is continuing to expand its delivery zones.

Van NessGet your bread from the same spot that supplies some of your favorite DC restaurants. You can stop by the shop to pick up fresh baked goods, and the neighborhood bakery is also offering delivery to those who can’t leave their homes within a mile from the shop and answering recipe questions via email.

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Liz Provencher is an editorial assistant and former DC dweller. Talk to her at lprovencher@thrillist.com, follow her on Twitter, or see what she eats on Instagram.